The Great Trophy Caper Prologue
by jes004
Summary: Set before The Great Trophy Caper, this tells the story of Jack and Irina from shortly before the series finale. The ending is retold, and will lead into The Great Trophy Caper.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimers: All characters (with some minor exceptions) are property of Bad Robot. I have merely borrowed them.

Authors note: In order for my story to work, some changes from the season finale were necessary. In my universe, Nadia survives. So just pretend she didn't go all glassy-eyed after she fell through the table, and that Jack did not go to the house and find her in a state beyond saving. There are a few other adjustments, but they still work within the debacle that was the series finale. Also, I wrote the Great Trophy Caper before the finale, so there will be a minor difference regarding the conception of JD. I'll see if I can fix it, but for now, this version is the one I will be using for this fanfic, and The Great Trophy Caper 2 (which I had mostly written until my laptop crashed. I am in the midst of rewriting it, and hope to start posting it in the near future.)

Thanks to any and all who choose to read my story, and if you feel inclined, I'd love to hear from you. Janice.

Pain. White hot, and intense. Jack Bristow wasn't sure how long he had been out, but instinctively he knew something aside from the pain was not right. He lay still, taking shallow breaths, trying to control the throbbing ache in his chest. His stilled his mind, allowing himself to focus on the source of his pain. His last memory was of standing inside a cave, wrapped in C-4 explosives. The man who had once been his closest friend, Arvin Sloane, had shot him in the chest multiple times. He remembered planning to detonate the explosives and bury both he and Sloane for eternity. Something else must have happened to change his plan. The pain had been so intense, he could hardly think straight. He remembered walking into the cave, his hand on the detonator. Vaguely he recalled feeling dizzy. Had he passed out? If so, someone had taken him from the cave and brought him to his present location.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. The room was large, and tastefully decorated. The bed was comfortable, and felt expensive. He had an IV drip taped to his right arm. He frowned. Traditionally, an IV would be placed on the left arm, since most people are right handed. Whoever had brought him to this room must have known he was left-handed.

There was a hospital monitor recording his vital signs next to the IV drip. To his left was a large window, covered by green silk curtains that didn't quite keep the sun light out. Directly in front of him was a door, flanked by a soft green recliner on the right, and an old wooden wardrobe to the left.

He heard the turn of the doorknob before he saw it move. Quickly, he lay back against the pillow, eyes slitted to appear closed. The door creaked as it opened, a figure stood momentarily silhouetted by the hallway light, before entering in.

"You don't need to pretend you are still asleep, Jack," came a familiar accented voice. "You are hooked up to a monitor that sends me alerts on my phone."

"Irina." Jack acknowledged her, flatly. "I take it that you eluded Sydney in Mexico City?"

"You could say that."

"Am I your only houseguest, or is Arvin Sloane down the hall?"

Irina considered her husbands' question for a moment. "A 'Ménage à Trois'? Not really my style, but I am always willing to try something new."

Jack's brows narrowed. "I wouldn't want to stand in the way of a learning experience for you, but you can count me out," he responded stonily. He attempted to sit up, but the spasm of pain was too much. He lay back in the bed, trying not to show that the hurt was deeper than the physical wounds he had suffered.

"Jack, you need to keep still." Irina put a hand to his shoulder. "You will pull your stitches. The doctor said you need several more days of quiet rest to heal properly."

"And Arvin Sloane? How is he doing under your tender care?" Jack asked bitterly. "You should have left me there."

"Damn you, Jack. I don't know why you always have to think the worst of me." Irina stood, angrily. "Arvin Sloane is under a thousand pounds of rubble. It should take him some time to dig himself out, should he ever be able to do so."

"Are you saying you blew up the cave?"

Irina merely gave him a look, before walking from the room.

Jack lay back against the pillows, trying to make sense of what he had heard, but the exertion had made him tired, and he slept instead.

When he woke again, a small boy was seated in the recliner staring at him. The brown eyes, ears slightly too large for his head, and blonde curls reminded him of photos of himself as a child.

"Mama says you are my Daddy." The little boy eyed him curiously. "Are you my Daddy?"

Jack drew in a breath. "I-"

"JD!" Irina entered the room. "You are supposed to be in your room taking a nap."

"I don't wanna nap, Mama," he whined. "I wanna see my Daddy."

"Want to," Irina corrected, automatically. "You know better AND I told you to wait until he was feeling better. Now go to your room."

"But Mama."

"No 'but Mama's' young man. It's your naptime. You can visit Daddy later."

The little boy stuck out his lower lip. Tears welled up in his eyes.

Irina shook her head. "You should know by now that won't work with me".

"Okay, Mama," He said resignedly. He turned his sad little face to the man on the bed. "Bye, Daddy. Mama says I have to leave now."

Jack looked at Irina, too stunned to hide his surprise.

"Don't even go there, Jack," Irina warned. "I told you I was pregnant that last time when we met to plant the camera in Lazeray's office."

"You know as well as I do, that I was arrested not long after that for collaborating with you! Why didn't you tell me when I contacted you after my release from solitary confinement?"

"You didn't ask," she shrugged. "One would have thought you would have asked."

Jack felt tired. His mind was still fuzzy from the drugs being pumped through the IV to numb the pain. He tried to focus, but it was all so overwhelming. There had been a good reason for not asking, if only he could remember what it was.

"I had a reason, but I can't think right now, Irina. Can we fight about this later, sweetheart?" Jack closed his eyes, and was asleep again within minutes.

Irina waited impatiently for her personal physician to arrive. The doctor was a trusted friend, and one who knew how to keep secrets. He had delivered her son nearly three years earlier, and while he could not have missed the striking resemblance between the boy and his newest patient, he had chosen not to remark on it.

Doctor Jerry Reed had been a rising star in the Canadian medical community. He had the respect of both his colleagues and patients. His research on cutting edge surgery techniques made him a highly sought after guest speaker at medical symposiums. For all the accolades, he was a humble man, still madly in love with his college sweetheart, whom he had married during his last year of Medical school.

It was when he was speaking at a European symposium that his life took a dark turn. While at the conference, his wife Marie St. Claire, a French Canadian active in unification Québécois politics, was murdered. She had accompanied him, along with their five-year-old son, on the trip. They had planned on an early dinner and an excursion to the Eiffel Tower to see Paris at night. After participating in an afternoon panel that went long, he hurried to their hotel room. Despite his medical training, he gagged when he entered the room. His wife was sprawled out, legs and arms tied to the four corners of the bed. Her body had been mutilated almost beyond recognition. He found his son passed out in the bathroom, hands and feet tied. Thankfully the assassin had chloroformed the boy before tying him up. The police determined that his wife had been the target of a professional assassination, but were unable to find any clues to the killers' identity or motive for her death.

Had the panel not run overlong, the doctor would have been their main suspect, which was apparently what the murderer had intended. But with no obvious reason for her death, the case went cold.

It was during the course of the police investigation that Irina first met the doctor. She was in Paris on a personal shopping trip, taking a break between jobs. She had watched the news with avid interest, curious as to why a professional hit man would take down a woman whose life was circumspect and above reproach. When the police dropped their investigation, Irina offered to help. The doctor had been suspicious of her offer, thinking she was another of the voyeurs who had tried to befriend him as part of their sick death fantasies. When she uncovered a clue missed by the French police, he became less wary and gave her access to personal information in an effort to find the killer.

It took a little over a year, for Irina to track down the assassin. From there, she was able to trace the orders back to a radical Québécois separatist group who had grown concerned about Marie's growing influence among the young college set. Doctor Reed had been grateful for her assistance at bringing his wife's killers to justice, and had become a valuable friend. After her escape from the CIA prison, she had established a home base in Québec. In the seven years she had known him, Irina had come to trust the doctor, and he had proven to be a steadfast ally.

Irina resisted the urge to call the doctor again, knowing that he would get there as quickly as traffic allowed. When the doctor finally arrived, Irina briefed him on her husbands' progress.

A puzzled frown furrowed his brow. "I'll need to check the equipment. The sedatives should have kept him out until tomorrow. You say he woke up twice?"

"Yes. The first time he was awake for about ten minutes. It was shorter the second time, and he seemed less alert and bit confused. That was why I called you."

The doctor smiled reassuringly. "I have him on a really strong sedative. That alone would make anyone confused. I am more concerned that he woke up at all."

Irina led the doctor to the room. When they entered, Jack was still sleeping, but his movements were somewhat restless. The doctor checked the monitor, noting his patients' vital signs on his iPad. He examined the IV fluids and the line going to the patients arm, noting a small kink in the IV, which was keeping the equipment from working properly.

Jack seemed to sense their presence and opened his eyes. He shot Irina a suspicious look.

"Jack, this is Doctor Jerry Reed. He saved your life." Irina watched her husband closely to judge his reaction to their visitor. As she suspected he would, he shuttered himself off.

"Hello, Jack," the doctor said cheerfully, noting the stony expression of his patient. "I need to check your sutures. I'm going to need you to sit up for a few minutes. Can you do that?"

Jack nodded, and followed the doctor's directions. He shifted forward to allow the doctor to untie the medical gown. Once the gown was open, the doctor began scrutinizing the wounds on the chest. "Okay, I need you to take a few deep breaths. I'm checking your lungs. We don't want you to end up with pneumonia." The doctor placed the stethoscope at several locations along his chest and ribcage before gently sliding it under his back. He nodded. "The lungs sound good. On a scale of one to ten, how would you describe your pain?"

Jack thought a moment. "I'd give it a two."

"I see." Doctor Reed made a notation on his iPad. "You need to rest, and if you are in pain that won't happen. I'm going to reduce the morphine. That should take care of the fuzziness Irina says you have been feeling, but I do need to increase some of the other pain medications. Are you okay with that?"

Jack nodded. "How long before I can get out of this bed?"

"You seem to be progressing well. I will be back tomorrow, and if you are still doing this well, we can remove the catheter and you can start taking short walks with help."

"Thank you, Doctor." Jack lay back against the pillows, closing his eyes.

Irina pulled the sheet up to cover him, adjusting them underneath his arms so as not to impede the IV line. "Why did you write down a four for his pain level, Jerry? I thought he said it was at two."

"He is very anxious to be up and around. He seems the type to lie about it to achieve that." He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "I don't want to presume too much Irina, but I believe you know this man very well?" At her nod, he continued. "Based on your knowledge of him, what do you think his pain level is?"

Irina bit at her lower lip, considering the question. "He has never been good about taking pain medication. If aspirin couldn't take care of it, he would do without. Especially if it meant being confined in a hospital away from home. I would guess his pain level is probably a five or six."

"I see," he said thoughtfully, noting the use of the word home. His eyes searched Irina's, wondering if it was too soon to broach the subject he had wondered about from when she first brought the man on the bed to him. "Is he the father of JD? The resemblance is unmistakable."

Irina hesitated momentarily. Her natural reserve made her cautious about sharing personal information, but she had trusted the doctor with her life several times over the years she had known him. "Yes. I named him Jonathan after his father."

"I thought this man's name is Jack?"

Irina chuckled. "He's always been called Jack, but his birth certificate and mother say his name is Jonathan. He hates being called that, though."

"I see," Jerry murmured pensively. "Irina, why are you helping him? He didn't have the decency to be present during your pregnancy. He was absent when you gave birth. He didn't come for JD when you went missing. I'm not sure he deserves your consideration."

"You are aware that I am still awake," Jack said, dryly, silently enjoying the fact that he had startled them both. "I'm sure it is against your Hippocratic oath to knock me off while I'm still your patient."

"I beg your pardon, but I only spoke the truth." The doctor responded stiffly.

Irina started to laugh, but realized the doctor wouldn't understand the humor in the situation. "It's a long story, Jerry, but I can assure you that if my husband had been able to be there he would have."

The doctor's eyes widened in surprise. "Husband?" he questioned.

"We were married August 14, 1971. Bob Gibson pitched a no hitter against the Giants." Jack interjected, from the bed. "And we are still married," he added a little belligerently, not sure why, but feeling the need to claim Irina as his.

"71?" Reed looked at her curiously. "You told me you were a KGB operative. He's obviously an American."

"I told you it was a long story," Irina acknowledged, amused at Jack staking his claim. The drugs were affecting him more than he realized, lowering his natural reticence.

"When I come back tomorrow, I will bring Ryan. He can entertain JD while tell me your story." He put up a hand to stop her objections. "That's my home visit fee."

"Mama?" JD stood at the doorway, hair tousled from his nap, eyes still drowsy from sleep. "May I see my Daddy now?"

"JD, he needs to sleep."

"No, leave him," Jack said, eyes still closed. "He can visit for a little while."

Needing no further encouragement, the little boy climbed into the recliner. "Are you sick, Daddy? Mama rubs my tummy when I'm sick, and then I feel all better. Mama, are you going to rub Daddy's tummy?" He looked at her, his innocent face earnest.

Knowing her young son's curiosity, Irina knew better than to tell him that would not be appropriate under the circumstances, she opted for putting him off. "Maybe later, JD."

"I'll hold you to that, sweetheart. My tummy could use some rubbing." Jack wagged his eyebrows suggestively, and patted his belly.

Irina swallowed a laugh. While it was nice to see some of the humor in the man she had married back, Jack would be mortified to have someone other than her witness it. "I don't know what you gave him, Jerry, but for his sake, I hope he doesn't remember any of this."

"Why wouldn't he -, no, don't explain. You can tell me all tomorrow when I change out his medication. For now, I've adjusted it. He should be more lucid tomorrow." He put his stethoscope and iPad in his briefcase "I need to leave now, or I will be late picking up Ryan. Call me if there is any change. And," he smiled impishly. "I recommend against the tummy rub. At least for now."

JD stood quietly on the chair as his mother fastened the snaps on his pajamas; his little face awash in curiosity. "Mama, how come my daddy is always sleeping?"

"He is very sick, JD, and Uncle Jerry has him on sleep medicine, just like when Ryan was sick last month." Irina pulled the covers of bed back, and lifted the little boy from the chair on to the mattress. She helped him slide under the covers, before tucking him in.

JD thought about this for a moment. "Ryan had itchy bumps. Does my Daddy have itchy bumps?"

"Not itchy bumps, but he does have some boo boos that hurt. Your Daddy has to stay really quiet until they get better."

"Mama?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I'm glad I have a Daddy. Ryan has a Daddy, but he doesn't have a Mama. I have a Mama and now I have a Daddy. Can we get Ryan a Mama?"

Irina tousled her son's hair, brushing the blonde curls back from his solemn face. He was an exceptionally bright child, very much like Sydney at the same age. She imagined Jack had been much the same as a child, ever curious, absorbing everything. He often surprised her with how much he comprehended. Her mother-in-law had told stories of Jack's advanced abilities as a child. It wasn't surprising that his children had inherited similar gifts.

"I think we need to leave that up to Ryan's Daddy."

He considered this. "Okay, Mama. Night."

Irina waited as sleep claimed her baby boy. Once he was fully asleep, she lifted the side rail of the bed, kissing him lightly on the cheek before leaving the room.

She went to Jack's room and settled into the recliner. She watched his slow even breaths for a while before picking up the book she had been reading. Soon she gave up, having read the same paragraph four times, the memory of the day she nearly lost him still too vivid in her mind.

One week earlier -

The phone rang just after she had tucked JD into bed.

"Mama, your phone is singing." JD wiggled under the covers. "It's Auntie Katya."

"So, I hear." She shook her head in wonder that he had connected that particular ring tone with his Aunt. "Why don't you say hello to Aunt Katya for me." She put the phone on speaker so they all could converse. Katya doted on her nephew, and always enjoyed talking to him.

"Hi Auntie Katya. It's me, JD."

"How is my baby nephew tonight?"

"I'm not a baby!" he giggled. "Guess what, Auntie Katya?"

"I don't know what, _lyubimaya_," Katya responded, amused.

"I have a big boy bed. Mama got it for me," he told her excitedly. "It's got two beds so Ryan can stay and sleep, too."

"I see. Maybe when I come I can stay and sleep there, too."

JD yawned. "Okay, Auntie Katya. You have to sleep on top."

Katya laughed. "Then it's a good thing I like sleeping on top"

"Katya," Irina hissed, taking the phone off speaker and switching to Russian. "He's a child. You shouldn't say things like that to him," she scolded her sister.

"Relax Irina. He's too young to read any other meaning into my words."

"Children are parrots at this age. Mark my words, he will repeat what you said and it will be at the most inopportune time. I'm sure you remember how embarrassed you were when Anya repeated that joke to the General."

"It was funny, though. I thought the General was going to have a heart attack."

"You didn't think it so funny at the time," Irina reminded her.

"Yes, well time has a way of changing our memories and Anya managed to survive her childhood, despite her uncanny ability to repeat the wrong things in public. Speaking of time, Irochka, I do hope you have a baby sitter available. Arvin Sloane is headed to Ulan Bator."

"So he has located the cave where Rambaldi hid the final two pieces?"

"I believe so. You know, I never really believed that a man born 500 years ago had found the secret to eternal life. One would have thought he would have used the potion on himself."

"As always, you are the pragmatic one. Fifteenth Century genius or not, I no longer care about his inventions or treasures. My family has suffered enough at the hands of his followers."

"Unfortunately, they still exist and are as rabid as ever. Sloane reportedly has a partner in this endeavor."

"Who?"

"You."

"Me?" Irina frowned. "Katya, cryptic doesn't suit you. Working with Arvin Sloane is like sleeping with the devil. Besides, I am no longer interested in Rambaldi's work."

"I believe it's the woman our dear sister Elena cloned to taunt Jack into killing you; or is it the clone who decided to replace you? All these clones: it's all so confusing," Katya complained.

"I thought Jack killed her."

"Not that one. According to my source, Elena had cloned another one of the rabid Rambaldi believers to become you. Alas, our sister did not take the time to check her out. The woman had no intention of dying for the cause. Her plan was to become you, and take over your empire."

"And…? Katya, you do so love to draw out a story."

"And you have no patience, Ira dear." Katya gave a huge sigh. "Very well. Since Elena was determined to bring most of humanity to extinction, it didn't really matter. She had already taken the steps to infect her the clone. She found another acolyte. This time she selected someone not quite as clever and more willing to die for the cause. That was the one Jack shot."

"I'll take care of the clone later. Can you make arrangements for a helicopter in Ulan Bator? I'll need three men, with the usual weapons, C-4..."

"Certainly, sister dear, for a price."

"For you Katya, there is always a price," Irina laughed. "What do you want this time? Ice cream on the Seine, or gazpacho in Spain?"

"Prime beef with some American Cowboys, sweetie. Young cowboys, Irina." Katya let her displeasure be heard. "I was not at all happy with your last treat. There were far too many old men."

Irina smirked. "You didn't specify, and they did meet your criteria. You wanted to be surrounded by French playboys."

"Young cowboys, Irina," Katya emphasized again. "All will be ready when you arrive. Kiss my _lyubimaya_ goodnight for me. Oh, there is one other thing-" Katya braced herself for her sister's ire, knowing her sister would have wanted to hear this new first. "Sloane found the cure for Nadia. She woke up."

"My God, that's great." Irina felt the heaviness in Katya's silence. "What is it you aren't telling me?"

"I had my people watching her. She went to see Sloane. When Sloane left the house without Nadia, they went in to check on her. There must have been a struggle. Anatoly found her with a piece of glass in her neck."

"I'll kill the bastard." Irina's voice was deadly.

"I'll be happy to help. She's alive, Ira, but in a coma. She lost a lot of blood." Katya paused again, not sure if she wanted to broach the next subject now, or wait for a face-to-face meeting.

"I can hear you thinking, Katya. Why don't you go ahead and tell me what is on your mind."

"Why didn't you tell me Nadia was Jack's daughter?" Katya asked silkily.

Irina sucked in a deep breath. "How-"

"How do I know?" Katya interjected. "Both you and Arvin Sloane are type O, Jack and Sydney are both type B. Nadia is also type B. I had a doctor verify my suspicions. Sloane's rh allele's are both positive. Nadia is B negative, as are you, Jack, and Sydney. He told me that based on blood type Sloane could not possibly be Nadia's father. And yet I checked the DNA. It does match yours and Sloane's. Tell me what is going on."

"I'm not certain, Katya, but I believe the a part of the experiments they performed on her when she was a child was a modified version of the cloning process. I don't know why it was necessary, but it has to factor in Rambaldi's vision."

"That doesn't explain why you didn't tell me." Katya was more than a little miffed.

"I suspected I was pregnant when I was ordered to retrieve information from Sloane." Irina raked a hand through her hair. "When I read the prophecy about Nadia, I assumed I was mistaken. Sloane checked the DNA. I saw the report." A realization suddenly hit Irina. "Katya, the information you retrieved – it would take some time to gather it. How long ago did Nadia wake from her coma?"

"I didn't tell you, Irina, because I wasn't sure she would survive. Even now, nothing is certain."

"You should have told me."

"There was nothing you could do, Ira," Katya responded, flatly.

"Where is she?"

"After Anotoly called the paramedics, he sent a message to Jack. He had her transported to the CIA hospital."

"Anotoly contacted Jack? Does he know who he is?"

"That he is my son? It was the quickest way to get his attention."

Irina pursed her lips. "Nadia has been through so much. I should have taken her with me."

"You should not blame yourself for this, Irina. Arvin Sloane is the one who needs to suffer." Katya decided it was time to shift the subject. "Jack has been very attentive to Nadia for a man who believes she is the result of an affair between his wife and his best friend. When did you know she was really Jack's?" Katya asked, abruptly.

"When Sydney and Jack rescued me, Nadia was there, too. I can't tell what it was, but I knew then that she was Jack's daughter. It was something in her eyes, I think. It didn't occur to me that her blood type would reveal the truth."

"Why didn't you tell me the truth?" She demanded, again. The two sisters had always shared each other's secrets, and Katya was annoyed that Irina had chosen to withhold this information.

"The DNA said otherwise. You would have told me I was being silly, and that my love for Jack was clouding my judgment."

"You know me, too well, little sister. When do you plan on sharing with Jack that he not only has a son, but a grown daughter, too?"

"Jack isn't ready for the truth," Irina said flatly.

"Irina, I know you love to say 'truth take time', but there has to be a time for telling the truth. Jack deserves better."

"Katya, what is going on? You've always despised Jack for not figuring out who I really was. Something has changed your mind. What happened between you two when you went to Los Angeles?"

"Let me just say that I got to know him a little better and leave it at that."

"You are hiding something." Irina knew her sister too well to believe that was all there was to her visit.

"If you must know, I realized that he was not such an idiot, after all. It was most alarming, Irina, to find that you were right about him." Katya decided it was wiser to change the subject than to let Irina continue questioning her. "While I realize Jack is a fascinating subject for you, we need to get back to the problem of Arvin Sloane. I have already secured a plane for you, and made arrangements for a helicopter in Ulan Butar. Three of my men will meet you at the airport."

"It may take me a few hours to find someone to stay with JD. Dr. Reed is away at a symposium in Tokyo. Ryan is staying with his maternal grandmother in Montreal, so that option is not available."

"Ah, the delectable Dr. Reed. Tokyo, you say?"

"Katya, you are far too old for Dr. Reed!"

"Irina, one is never too old. However, I do not have eyes on him for myself."

"We are just friends, Katya. Nothing more."

"You weren't the one I had in mind, either. The only people on this planet who don't know you are head over heals in love with you husband, are Jack and Sydney," Katya pointed out, not a little caustically. "Don't worry about finding someone for JD. Anya will be there soon. She has all the information you will need."

"Katya, you are the best of sisters!"

"I know," Katya responded smugly. "Now go and rid the world of Arvin Sloane. I am tired of his interference.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Once in the air, Irina studied the intelligence Katya provided on Sloane's objective. When she learned Jack and Sydney were also on their way, she knew the operation would be have to be carefully timed. Based on her calculations, she would arrive about the same time as Sloane.

Her plane landed on schedule at private airfield near Ulan Butar. From there she switched to a helicopter. She hadn't planned on being detained by 'customs'. The delay cost her time and a couple thousand dollars. Shortly before the chopper arrived at their destination, Irina noticed an armored jeep making its way from the area. They were too high up for the occupants to see her, and, fearing she might be too late, she considered following them. Without knowing who was in the jeep, she decided it was better to check out the cave.

When she entered the cave, she was horrified to see Jack at the point of blowing the cave and it's occupants to pieces.

"Jack, stop." Irina shouted, ensuring his attention. "Don't do this."

He paused, the shock of seeing her evident in his eyes. "Irina? You are supposed to be in Mexico City."

"I'm supposed to be a lot of things I'm not," she retorted. She noticed the bleeding on his jacket. "Jack, you're hurt! What happened?"

"Irina, look. I found it." There was a glazed look in Sloane's eyes as he moved toward her. "He did it. Milo Rambaldi did it. His formula for eternal life works."

Irina had nearly forgotten Sloane's presence. The fanatical look in his eyes turned her blood cold. She held a hand up, hoping her action would cause him to stop. "Arvin, Jack needs medical attention."

"You don't understand, Irina. It's here. Thirty years of searching and I finally found it. Jack doesn't need a doctor. The elixir can heal him."

"No." The sound was low and raspy, but definite. Jack's eyes pleaded with her. He didn't have the strength to fight them if they banded together, but he hoped that there was some semblance of the woman he had once loved still there. His legs started to give on him and he stumbled toward her.

Irina gave a nod to the two men who had accompanied her. They came behind Jack, holding him up. "Who shot you, Jack?"

"Arvin." The words were barely above a whisper, but Irina could still hear the anguish of this final betrayal.

Irina removed the C-4 from him and took the detonator. "Take him to the helicopter. I'll be with you in a moment."

"He's dying Irina. You can save him. It's here. We can take it; have it duplicated. There are people who would pay millions for it."

Irina took the water bottle from her backpack. "Here, fill it up. Then we need to leave."

Sloane caught the bottle and headed to the cistern. Irina moved swiftly toward the entrance of the cave. As she exited, she placed the C-4 along the exterior wall. "I'm happy that you found what you were searching for. Now you can be together for eternity. Good-bye, Arvin." She quickly backed away, unraveling the detonator wire as she went. Once she was safely away, she hit the trigger. As the rock began to fall, Sloane made a mad dash for the exit, but he was too slow, and Irina watched as thousands of boulders crushed him to the ground.

When the dust settled, there was no sign that a cave had ever existed, and no sign of Sloane, either. She signaled to the pilot to start the engine. Once inside the helicopter, she took a closer look at Jack's wounds. The chest wound was still bleeding, which was not a good sign. There were several bruises along the abdomen, but nothing that appeared life threatening with them. After her examination she realized that taking him back to Canada wasn't an option. He would die if she didn't get him medical attention soon.

She signaled to one of men Katya had secured for her to get his attention. "Is there a SatPhone in any of the supplies?" The man nodded and opened one of the metal containers under the seat. He handed her the phone. Irina signed her thanks. She dialed Jerry Reeds cell number and prayed that she wouldn't get his voicemail.

"Jerry Reed."

Irina smiled, hearing the puzzlement in his voice. "Jerry, I need a doctor, a surgeon. Someone discrete. Do you have any friends or connections in Ulan Butar-."

"Irina? I didn't recognize the number. Are you in Ulan Butar? Isn't that in Mongolia?"

"Yes. I can't explain right now, and I don't have a lot of time." Irina had always prided herself on her ability to remain calm under extreme circumstances. More than once, it had saved her life. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this helpless. She steadied her nerves, trying to order her thoughts. She had to remain calm, but it was difficult to do knowing that Jack's life was hanging in the balance.

"I don't know anyone in Mongolia. Do you think you can make it to Seoul?"

"I don't know. Maybe. He's still conscious, but only barely."

"Describe the wound to me. Maybe there is something you can do to give him more time."

Irina pulled the jacket away from Jack's chest. One of the men had covered the wound with gauze and medical tape. Before pulling off the bandage, she checked for other wounds. With the exception of bruising around the stomach, she found no other wounds. Slowly, she pulled back the tape and lifted the gauze.

"He has one gunshot wound to the chest area. It does not appear to have exited from the back. There are also multiple bruises on his stomach. He was wearing a Kevlar, but one of the bullets penetrated the vest."

"Let's hope that the vest slowed the bullet enough to limit the damage. You will need to apply pressure to the wound. If you have a pillow or cloth, use it to lessen further injury to his chest. I'll make the arrangements on this end. I should be back in touch within a half hour."

Once again Irina signaled one of her crewmembers. "Tell the pilot we need to fly to Seoul. I'll give him the exact coordinates as soon as my associate calls back."

"There isn't enough fuel in the helicopter to make it to Seoul, ma'am," the crewman informed her after conversing with the pilot.

"Then we will need to make a stop. Ask him if he knows somewhere between here and Seoul where we can refuel."

After another short conversation, the crewman turned back to her, clearly unhappy. "He says he wants more money."

"I'll double his fee."

"He wants triple."

"Tell him he will get half now, and the remainder when we arrive safely in Seoul. Katya will wire it to his account. I'll instruct her give you and your men a bonus, as well." She picked up the phone and dialed her sister's number. After explaining the situation to her sister, she indicated to the pilot to check his account. Within a few minutes, he nodded and gave the thumbs up sign.

The delay for refueling was shorter than Irina feared, and they were soon landing in the parking lot of a small clinic on the outskirts of Seoul. Irina was surprised to see Jerry waiting for them with a gurney at the front door of the clinic. "How did you-"

"You aren't the only one with contacts. The hospital near our conference was transporting a patient from Tokyo to Seoul on a special plane. I hitched a ride."

"Thank you," she told him, simply. Two of Katya's men helped carry Jack to the gurney. Irina watched worriedly. Jack color looked bad, and he had not awakened at all during the trip. An orderly rushed the gurney into the hospital toward the surgical prep room. Irina and Jerry quickly followed behind.

"There is a waiting room to your left, Irina. I'll send someone out to give update on the patient whenever possible." He gently guided her to the room. "And no, you cannot be in there with us. It's a small surgical room. You will only be in the way."

Irina nodded. "Jack. His name is Jack."

"Don't worry, Irina. We will take whatever measures necessary to save his life."

Tears welled in her eyes, the stress finally finding its release. "Go, Jerry, and save him."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N - Apologies on taking so long to post this chapter. Thanks to those of you who left reviews. Feedback is always welcome. The FanFic document program edits out scene breaks, so I've fixed it on this chapter.

Chapter 3

Irina jumped at the sound of a loud buzzer. She looked over to the monitor by Jack's bed and saw a light rapidly blinking. Alarmed, she went over to the unit and checked the readings. She breathed a sigh of relief when she located the source of the buzzer. Somehow Jack had managed to crimp the IV line while he slept. She worked out the crimp, and satisfied that all was well, placed a gentle kiss on her husband's lips before resuming her place on the recliner.

-The Next Morning-

Jack woke to the sound of childish laughter. He focused on the sound and realized it was coming from the room next door. The happy giggles brought a smile to his lips, reminding him of Sydney at that same age. The chatter was indistinct; he barely made out some of the words. It took him a moment to realize that the woman was singing and the language was Russian.

The door to his room opened, and Irina stepped in. "The doctor said to start you on liquids, so I've brought you some chicken broth. He will be here in an hour."

Jack nodded, taking the mug from her. He took a sip, testing the temperature. The liquid was warm, and he gratefully took deeper swallows of the broth. When he finished Irina took the cup and placed it on the dresser.

"How are feeling?" she asked while walking over to check the monitors.

"With my hands," Jack deadpanned. When he had used that line on Laura, she would swat him with a pillow, or any other handy item. He was curious to see how Irina would respond.

Irina stopped a moment and considered him. "I'll take that as a 'much better'." She walked over to the recliner and picked up the pillow. Jack watched her, intrigued as she came back to the side of the bed. She took the pillow and swatted his leg with it. "If you use that line again, the next time I won't be as considerate."

Jack grinned. "I don't know why you hate that joke!"

"Really Jack? For an intelligent man, you can be so obtuse at times."

"It's a classic, Irina." Jack couldn't help smirking. Then he sobered, remembering what usually followed his favorite inane joke. It had been the best part of the joke, but the years in between had given it a bitter edge. He lay back against the pillows, trying to block out the emotions his joke had roused. Instead, he concentrated on the reason for his current incapacitation.

"Irina?" Jack pulled himself up, wanting to see her reaction to what he was going to ask. "You saved my life. Why?"

Irina searched his eyes trying to gauge what was prompting his question. She had expected him to ask, but not so soon. There were other questions she thought would come first, particularly those about their son.

When she didn't answer, he questioned her further. "Leaving me in the cave with Arvin would have simplified things for you. No loose ends."

"Is that what you think you are to me, Jack? A 'loose end'?" Irina succeeded in keeping the anger from her voice, unleashing her words with deadly calm. "I shared a life with you for ten years. When Sydney went missing, I let you in again. I've borne your children-"

Jack cut her off. "You spent those ten years spying on me. You gave birth to Sydney in order to gain my trust." He uttered this without inflection, voice flat and unemotional. The stony demeanor Irina despised once again raising its head. "You seduced the man I once thought closer than a brother and had his child. You're reason for giving birth to—" Jack stopped. To go any further would release the dam of emotions he was trying so carefully to control.

Irina felt the sting of his words with force of a thousand darts. In the year they were together during Sydney's disappearance, she had told him in so many ways how much she loved him. She thought he finally believed her. When she told him she was pregnant, he was both excited and apprehensive. He had worried about the risks associated with conceiving at her age, made her promise that her safety would come first. In his arms, she had felt alive again. That he loved her, she had no doubt. How to convince him that she loved him, too, was proving to be far more difficult than she had anticipated.

"Don't you dare suggest-"

"Suggest what, Irina? That you are a whore for sale? Russia, Rambaldi, for all I know Arvin Sloane?"

Irina was angry. No, Jack corrected himself, she was furious. He should consider himself lucky that her eyes weren't real daggers, or he would be dead by now. He had gone too far, allowing his hurt to cloud his judgment, but on another level he automatically analyzed her reaction. Waking several times during the night, he was always surprised to see her still sleeping in the recliner. He had kinked the IV line purposely to see what she would do. He had been surprised at the genuine concern in her face. Had he subconsciously pushed her to see if he could get a reaction, just as he had with the IV line?

"Irina? I'm sorry." And he was. "I was out of line."

She stood by the door, back ramrod straight, only her rigid control stopping her from delivering the slap he so richly deserved. "The doctor will be here shortly. I'll think about your apology."

"Irina-"

"Don't, Jack. You can't take back the words. Somewhere inside you meant them."

Jack couldn't argue with her logic. "We need to talk."

"Yes."

"Really talk."

"Yes, but not now." She swept her hair behind her ear.

"When?"

"Aunt Irina?" Irina turned to see her niece beckoning her. "The doctor is here."

"Thank you, Anya. Tell him I'll be there in a moment." She turned back to Jack. "I'll let you know. Perhaps tonight."

"Irina-"

"The doctor is here to see you. It will have to wait."

Jack could feel the force of her anger, and he knew it didn't bode well for him that she hadn't tried to hide it. Despite that, he felt a glimmer of hope. Her anger meant she cared about what he thought of her. She had saved his life. She had told him four years ago that she had fallen in love with him during their marriage. Perhaps there was some measure of truth in her declaration.

Anya returned to the room, and studied the man in the bed. "Hello, Uncle Jack."

Jack stared back, granite mask in place. "You are Katya's daughter, Anatoly's twin sister."

"How very clever of you to figure that out!"

"I see you inherited your mother's sarcasm."

"Anatoly told me that he had met you. He said you had dinner several times." Anya smiled brightly. "I was quite upset with my brother, as I have always been the one to pester Aunt Irina with questions about you!"

"Why would you do that?" Jack said, astonished.

"According to Mama, you were the only man to capture Aunt Irina's heart. I thought it all so romantic."

Jack considered the woman in front of him. He knew she was a little more than ten years older than Sydney. She favored her mother in looks, as her twin brother must favor their father. When Anatoly had introduced himself, he had been skeptical about the true reason for seeking him out. But Anatoly had been up front about his assignment to watch out for Nadia, and Jack had enjoyed getting to know him. When Anatoly had mentioned wanting to go to an American baseball game, Jack had surprised himself by purchasing tickets to a Dodgers game. Neither man talked business during the game; instead Jack found that his nephew was quite knowledgeable about baseball.

"I assure you I am no knight in shining armor." Jack said, dryly. "I am not sure why you and your brother would find me so fascinating. Didn't your mother explain why your aunt and I were married?"

"Yes, of course, which made everything all so much more romantic." Her eyes sparkled in her enthusiasm. "For Anatoly, it was all the spy stuff. I think he fancied you as James Bond."

"I hope he wasn't too disappointed when he realized James Bond and I have little in common."

"Oh, no. He likes you very much. And if Anatoly likes you, then I know I will like you, too." She sauntered back to the door. "I hear Aunt Irina coming up the stairs with the doctor. We must talk more later."

Jack should have known better than to antagonize Irina before the doctor's visit. He had no trouble reading the glint in her eye when the doctor asked her to remove the catheter. He tried not to grimace as she tugged, but knew he had not been successful when saw her smirk.

"Everything is healing well. You will need to take it easy for a little while. No strenuous activity." The doctor shot a look at Irina. "I have a feeling that my warning isn't really necessary right now."

"Thank you, Jerry. I believe you are right. Jack shouldn't have any trouble with physical exertion while he is here."

"Doctor, do you know how much longer before I can go home? I'm sure my daughter is worrying about me, and-"

"Our daughter, Jack," Irina interrupted, icily. "And she isn't looking for you. She thinks you're dead. She thinks we are both dead."

Jack paled. "I need to call her."

"And then what?" She turned away from him, not wanting him to see how deeply affected she had been by the circumstances of her third 'death'. "It doesn't matter, anyway. Sydney and Vaughn have taken a leave of absence from the CIA. The only person who has contact with them is Nadia, and they call her."

"Nadia. She's okay?"

Irina nodded. "Yes, thanks to you and Anatoly."

"I hate to interrupt your little _tête__-__à__-__tête_, but we have two unsupervised boys downstairs. Ryan is a good kid, but he is a teenager with an iPhone. Sometimes he forgets there are other people in the room." At their startled looks, Jerry realized that they had forgotten his presence. "Why don't we take Jack to the family room for a little while. Sitting up will do him some good."

Irina frowned. "I asked Anya to watch them. I'm sure they are fine."

"You are probably right, but Anya doesn't know my son. Ryan doesn't always remember JD is not quite three, and she may not know to remind him not to be too rough." Jerry removed the pig line from Jack's arm, took a cotton ball and pressed it against the skin. When he was satisfied that blood had started clotting, he removed the cotton and replaced it with a bandage.

"Scooby Doo?" Jack had to smile at the incongruity of the children's bandage on his not so small arm.

"They appear to be JD's favorite." The doctor grinned in return. "I promise I won't tell anyone about it. Hippocratic oath, and all that." He picked up a remote control from the bedside table. "This remote activates the lift on the bed. I'm going to slowly raise the bed so that you are in a sitting position. Let me know if you start to feel dizzy, or any other symptoms that don't feel normal. And Jack," he paused, giving him a warning look, "don't be a hero. Irina has been conscientious about using this to get you in sitting position when you were unconscious, but it was for short periods of time, to mitigate potential pneumonia. You have mostly been laying flat on your back for over a week, so it's important that I don't do this too quickly. Do you understand me?"

Jack nodded.

Jerry fiddled with the controls, and then pressed the button. "I'm glad you bought a top of the line bed, Irina. It will make this much easier." As the back of the bed slowly rose, he kept a close watch on Jack's face, look for telltale signs of changes in blood pressure, or pain. Seeing none, he gradually increased the speed until the bed had Jack sitting in an upright position. "Okay, Irina and I are going to help you stand up. Again, let's take it slow."

Once Jack was on his feet, they carefully led him out of the room and down the stairs. He was a little unsteady at first, but quickly regained his equilibrium. Once they had him seated, Irina left them and went into the kitchen. She took a can of soup out of the cabinet and placed it on the counter, before slumping into a chair by the kitchen table. She was still angry with Jack. The last time she had been this angry was during a confrontation with Gerard Cuvee. She had shot him, and celebrated as he took his last breath. Gerard had done more than call her a whore, he had treated her like a whore; but she had not loved Gerard, so killing him was easy.

She got up and opened the can, pouring its contents into a small saucepan. Once the soup was hot, she poured it into a large mug and took a packet of crackers out of the cupboard before carrying it back into the den. When she handed Jack the mug he searched her face, wondering, she thought, if it had been poisoned. "Don't be silly Jack. I would hardly kill you in front of so many witnesses. It's still hot, so you might want to wait a few minutes."

He nodded, carefully placing the mug on the table next to the recliner.

The doctor watched the exchange, fascinated. Despite their ten-year acquaintance, Irina had always been a bit of a mystery to him. Every minute he spent with them made him even more curious. However, he could also feel the tension that crackled between them, and decided it was wiser to let them resolve it first. "Irina, I understand that Anya is your niece?" At Irina's nod he continued. "She told me that this is her first time in Québec, so I thought I'd take her and the boys to the _Aquarium du Québec_."

"You are going now?" Irina's brows shot up in surprise. "We just brought Jack downstairs."

"Oh, he can stay down here for a while. I'll help you take him back upstairs when we get back."

"What if he needs to" she glanced at her husband, "relieve himself?"

"Just stay with him to help him keep his balance. He seem to be pretty strong-"

"I may have been shot, but I'm not deaf," Jack complained. "Don't worry Irina, if I need to use the facilities, I think I can manage."

"There, you see," grinned the doctor. "Everything will be just fine. I'm sorry, Irina, I couldn't hear what you were saying?"

"Nothing, Jerry," Irina's tone was syrupy sweet, but Jack caught the murderous glint in her eyes before she turned to face the doctor. "I'm sure Anya will love going to the _Aquarium_. She is thinking on relocating here, so it will be good for her to see some of the sites to encourage her to stay."

"Aunt Irina?" Anya poked her head in the door. "Uncle Jack, they brought you downstairs! I do hope you don't try to make your escape too soon. I wish to talk to you about the Dodger's chances of going to the playoffs this year."

"Anya I thought you were with JD?"

"I just checked in on them, Aunt Irina. They are playing something called "Go Fish". It appears that JD is winning."

"JD is quite ruthless in 'Go Fish'." Irina smiled proudly, and motioned for her to come in to the room. "Anya, Doctor Reed is taking the boys to the _Aquarium du Québec_ and he has invited you to go. I thought you might enjoy seeming some of the sites here."

"I would love that, but won't you need me to help with Uncle Jack?"

"The short answer is he will be fine." The doctor interjected. "I understand that you may be relocating here. As a long time resident, I can tell you that there is no more beautiful city in the world and the _Aquarium du Québec_ is one of the boys favorite places to visit."

Suddenly Anya noticed the tension in the room, and kicked herself for not feeling it before. She had been taught well, though, her face betraying nothing, quickly picking up on the doctor's cue. "I'd be delighted to accompany you, Doctor Reed."

"Please call me Jerry. Doctor Reed is far too formal for a trip to the aquarium."

She smiled and nodded. "Jerry it is. I need to change into more comfortable shoes. I'll meet you at the front door in a few minutes." She turned back to her aunt. "I just received a call from the University. I have an interview tomorrow at 2pm."

"I will arrange for a driver to take you. I don't want you to worry about finding your way in an unfamiliar city."

"Thank you. Are you sure you will be okay?"

Irina smiled reassuringly. "I'll be fine. If Jack gives me any problems, I will just shoot him."

"Very funny, Irina." Jack set the soup mug back on the table. "I don't suppose you have some whiskey in the house. I have a feeling I'm going to need something to dull the pain."

Jerry shot Jack a concerned glance. "I don't recommend alcohol, yet. You will want to give some of the drugs in your system time to clear."

Jack glared at the doctor. "I thought you left already."

"Now you are being rude, Jack." Irina admonished him. "The doctor went to a great deal of trouble to save your life. A little respect wouldn't be out of line."

"It's fine, Irina." Jerry patted her on the shoulder. "I'll get the boys and see myself out. I'll have to take your car, since the car seat is in it. The keys are still in their usual spot, I presume?" At Irina's nod, the doctor called to the boys, who quickly came to the room and said their goodbyes.

When they left the room, Irina went over to a cabinet on the far side of the room and pulled out a bottle of Scotch. Another cabinet yielded two tumblers. After pouring a generous amount in both glasses, she handed one to Jack, completely ignoring the doctors' advice. "I have a feeling we are both going to need this."

"So what do we do now?"

"We talk, Jack. About you. About me. Us."

Jack stared silently down at the glass. He had fearlessly faced down men whose looks could kill, but the idea of having a one on one with Irina right now scared the liver out of him.

Irina waited until she heard the sound of the car pulling out of the drive before confronting Jack with the question that had been gnawing at her for over two years. "Why didn't you ask what happened with my pregnancy? You seemed to be genuinely excited about it, despite your concern about my age." Exasperated when he didn't answer, she glared at him. "This is supposed to be a conversation. If you intend to remain silent, then we are done."

"I was just collecting my thoughts," Jack replied, trying not to sound defensive. "When I got out of solitary, of course I was curious, but I didn't think it was appropriate to discuss it in an online chat room. I asked for your help to rescue Sydney, and hoped you would come, but you sent your sister."

Irina stared at him incredulously. "You didn't ask me because you were angry that I didn't come when you summoned me?"

"Of course not. I simply formulated a different plan. That is until Katya all but told me that you had the baby aborted. She told me that you had followed up on my advice. "

Irina was dumbfounded. Of all the responses she had expected, this was not one of them. "Still, you didn't bother to find out how I was."

"Katya said it had been very hard for you, and that you didn't want to talk about it."

"My sister has a lot to answer for." Irina responded grimly. Slowly, she swiped her hair behind her ears, trying to understand why her sister would have told such a terrible lie. "It _was_ a difficult pregnancy. Katya was furious that you weren't there to help me through it."

"Didn't she know that I was sitting i prison cell for the majority of your pregnancy?" Katya had denied him two years of his son's life. He tried to quell the surge of anger he felt toward his sister-in-law. He needed to remain clear-headed and rational if he was going to make it through the evening, but the fire wouldn't go away.

"You're angry."

"Of course I'm angry. I missed out on some of the most precious moments in my son's life." His eyes blazed with fury. "Wouldn't you be, in my place?"

"I've missed out on those moment with JD, too. Don't forget that Elena had imprisoned me for a year of his life."

Jack jerked back, the quiet words not disguising Irina's own pain.

"_Touché_."

"No, Jack, it's not a contest. I just wanted to remind you that you aren't the only one to suffer loss in this."

"Why would she lie to me, Irina? To my knowledge, I haven't done anything to her to warrant such a brutal lie."

"Katya knew you were in prison. It only confirmed her belief that you were a bumbling idiot and a fool to get caught so easily. She couldn't understand-" Irina caught herself in time, not wanting to walk in those murky waters just yet.

"Couldn't understand what?"

"Anatoly and Anya were teenagers when I returned to Russia. Since I was pregnant with Nadia, I was given leave to be with my family. Katya and the girls still lived with my parents. Katya was always the wild one. The trail of broken hearts she has left behind would rival Casanova. She was always off with one of her boyfriends in the evenings, so I used to tell the twins stories about America. Somewhere along the way, they began to hero worship you. But not Katya. She would ridicule me for corrupting their impressionable minds and remind them of how I had fooled you for so many years." Irina got up and went to pour another round of whiskey in their now empty glasses. "At least, she used to hate you." She looked up at him, eyes full of curiosity. "What happened when she visited you in Los Angeles?"

"You had your first question, now it's my turn." Jack held his breath, hoping she wouldn't press further. He wasn't proud of his liaison with Katya, especially since it was fueled by his desire to payback Irina for the affair with Sloane.

"Fair enough. What is it you want to know?"

"Four years ago I sought your help to find Sydney. Notwithstanding all your subterfuge in the past, I held on to the belief that you had some feelings for our daughter. So, despite my … personal issues with you, I decided it was in both our best interest to work together." Jack fiddled with his whiskey glass before taking a sip. "During our time together, you told me you fell in love with me during our" Jack hesitated again. The word had alternated between feelings of joy and agony for him. Ten years of joy, twenty years of agony. Whatever the outcome tonight, he had a feeling there would be no more ping ponging. His life was about to change forever, and he had never felt more terrified. Those early years after she left the first time had been the most difficult for him. During the day, he could fight the demons, but, at night, -at night the ghosts would come. The mornings were often worse than the nights. So many times he would wake and reach for her, only to find her space empty and the physical ache – it never went away.

"Our marriage, Jack?" Irina finished for him. If he couldn't say the words, she wondered if there was ever going to be a chance for them. They had come to a truce in their search for Sydney nearly four years ago, and their relationship seemed to be gaining normal footing. Then Jack had been arrested. Had too many misunderstandings muddled their feelings for them to ever find their way back? "Whatever you may think, it was a real marriage. Unless you think all those times you slept in the guest room was my clever way of getting closer to you."

"No, it just made it easier for you to sneak down and photograph any documents I brought home." Jack pointed out, ever logical.

"You mean the times I would have passed the guest room to go down the stairs? The guest room where you were wide awake for the whole night?"

"And how would you know that, unless you were waiting for me to fall asleep?"

"I didn't have to wait. I never heard you snore."

"I don't snore."

Irina simply gave him a look.

Jack flushed. "Okay, I snore a little." This time her eyebrows went up. "Going back to the subject at hand, you said you loved me, but I am having a hard time reconciling your words with your actions."

"Because I left? We already discussed that four years ago. I thought you understood why I had to leave."

"No, not that. Arvin Sloane. Not only did you sleep with him, you bore his child." For everything that had happened between them, that cut had been the deepest.

Irina walked over to the window. She stared unseeingly at the grove of trees that ringed the property. "My superiors wanted a manuscript Sloane had acquired. I didn't know it then, but it was a page from one of Milo Rambaldi's manuscripts. He didn't know what he had at the time, but he felt it was something important. My information said that he had not taken it to the CIA but had hidden it in his house.

I knew Emily was going to be out of town to visit her mother, so I waited until Sloane left for the office. I had noticed before that they didn't have a security system; so breaking in was simple. For some reason, Sloane returned early." She had been surprised when she saw him at the bedroom door, but her training kicked in, and she used the only weapon she had. "I had just completed my search of the bedroom, when he walked in. I had been caught, but I had been trained for similar situations. I propositioned him. He seemed so devoted to Emily, I expected him to turn me down. Instead he couldn't get me into bed fast enough. I had to go through with it, or risk being exposed." Irina turned back to face Jack. She had decided earlier not to reveal Nadia's paternity, but now she realized that it was important for him to know. "As to bearing his child, I thought I was carrying yours."

Jack choked on the gulp of whiskey he had just swallowed. "My child?"

"I hadn't taken a pregnancy test yet, but I had all the indicators. I didn't want to say anything, in case I was wrong. After my extraction, I took a test that confirmed I was pregnant. At first I was concerned that the KGB would require me to abort my child, but it was as if they already knew. Their keen interest was a bit disconcerting, but there was no indication of anything more than that. After I gave birth to Nadia, my sister Elena came to visit. She injected me with something that knocked me out. When I came to, Nadia was gone."

"When did you learn she was Arvin Sloane's progeny?"

"Not until I stumbled across some of Milo Rambaldi's manuscripts." Irina hesitated, knowing that what she was about to reveal could go either way with Jack. "But somehow he got it wrong, or something was mistranslated. Nadia is your daughter."

"Irina, I saw the DNA. There was no doubt."

"I saw it, too. It was a shock. I began second guessing myself. Maybe it was wishful thinking that made me believe I was already pregnant before my liaison with Sloane. When I met her, though, I wondered if Rambaldi had gotten it wrong. She was so much like your mother. Then just last week I learned that Nadia's blood type is B, like yours."

Jack frowned. He hadn't checked her blood groupings. "You are type O. I don't know Arvin's blood type."

"He is also type O."

"How is that even possible? Our blood type is linked to our DNA."

"I've had someone researching it." Irina wasn't going to tell him that Katya had unearthed the information. "When the KGB stole Nadia, they waited until she was old enough to handle a serum that would put her in a catatonic state and supposedly reveal Rambaldi's great design. It didn't work. Then they came across another text that said the serum was DNA linked, and that her DNA needed to be altered. The manuscript provided instructions on how to accomplish the modification."

"The Helix machine?"

"No, this was different. Nadia needed my DNA and Sloane's DNA for the serum to work. There was a process that had to be followed. The transformation required several months or it would kill her. They were only three quarters of the way through the process when Elena stole her from the KGB. I don't know for certain Jack, but I think the DNA in her bones was not altered."

"Do you know how fantastic this all sounds, Irina?"

"After all you have seen of Rambaldi's legacy, is this so hard to believe?"

Jack rubbed his temples, the rational side of him trying to make sense of it all. Nadia was _his_ daughter. He, too, had seen the echo of his mother in her. At the time he had shrugged it off as being fanciful, but now, he wasn't so sure. "Why Sloane's DNA?"

"I don't know," Irina admitted, happy that he his acceptance had not brought on more anger. "My people are looking into it." Irina studied him for a moment. "It's my turn to ask you a question."

Jack saw the determined look in her eye, and knew it was inevitable that she was going to ask about his relationship with Katya again. He thought of a thousand scenarios he could try to sell her on why her sister would have such a huge change of heart, but in the end, he knew he would tell her what happened. Not unlike his daughters, Irina would not give up until she learned the truth.

Irina saw his uneasy look, making her more determined to address the question that had bothered her since she witnessed her sisters' change of heart. "Katya seems to have changed her opinion of you, which is not an easy task, as I cannot remember the last time her opinion of anyone changed for the better. I have given this a great deal of thought, and based on my knowledge of my sister, came up with only one conclusion. You slept with her."

Her eyes dared him to lie, and though he was momentarily tempted, common sense prevailed. "I just learned about your affair with Sloane, and that you and he had conceived a child. I was angry."

"You wanted payback," she responded, flatly.

"Yes. Your sister gave every indication that she was willing, Irina."

Irina saw all too clearly what had happened. Her sister loved to flirt, and despite protestations to the contrary, had always been fascinated by Irina's life with Jack. She knew she should be angry, but Jack clearly was uncomfortable with what happened. "My sister for Arvin Sloane. I think you got the better end of the deal, but perhaps we can call it a draw?"

A tension Jack didn't realize he had, released. He had been forgiven. "Agreed."

"We can talk all night, Jack, but you and I both know you have a decision to make. All we seem to do is rehash the same things. At some point we have to put the past behind us and go forward. I love you. I have for over 30 years. Every choice, every betrayal I have ever made that involved you and Sydney I made because I believed I was protecting you. You can choose to believe me, and forge the rest of our lives together, or you can walk away. We can call Sydney and you can return to your life in Los Angeles. I will make arrangements for you to spend time with JD."

Jack slowly stood up from the recliner. He had come to a decision, one that was perhaps inevitable. "We need to call Sydney."

Irina turned away, sharply, willing the threatening tears not to fall. She had hoped for a different answer, but ultimately it was his choice.

"We'll have to put together a legal case to have your name removed from the CIA's wanted list. Sydney can orchestrate what we need for the pardon from her side." Lying in bed had afforded him ample time to work out the preliminaries of a plan. He would need more time to flesh it out, but with Irina's help, and few favors owed to him, a pardon could be secured within a few months time.

Puzzled, Irina whirled back to face her husband. "Why would I need a pardon?"

"Because I don't intend to spend the rest of my life with you hiding from the authorities."

Stunned, Irina could only stare at him.

"I was hoping I would at least merit a kiss."

"Are you sure, Jack? This isn't a game-"

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"


End file.
